Abstract

Background Studies suggest that the perception of the child and family differ in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. This may pose a problem for the clinician's assessment (1,2).

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in perception of the disease constraints between child and parent in JIA.

Methods 129 children with JIA were included in the study.The main complaint about the illness was requested to be expressed in writing by both the child and the family. Individuals' expressions and demographic data were recorded. The main complaints were considered nominal. The correlation between the parent's and child's expressions were examined. The types of complaints were classified as none, functional, symptomatic, and both functional and symptomatic.

Results The age range of children ranged from 6 to 21 (mean±SD; 12,86±3,68). When the complaints of the 129 children and the parents were compared, 45,7% were different, 20,2% were partially similar and 34,1% were perfectly similar complaints.When the answers of the 59 children and parents who differ in their complaints were examined; 67.8% of the children expressed a milder disease than their parents (Table1). While the family mostly concentrated on the symptoms, the children were worried on functional complaints (Table1).

Conclusions As a result of this study, there was a difference between parent's and child's perception of the disease. While children report functional complaints, parents focus on symptomatic complaints. Exercise approaches should focus on the child's functional complaints and identify common goals with the family. Families should be educated about the importance of the complaints that the child expresses.

References

Manczak, M. Rutkowska-Sak, L. Raciborski, F. Health-related quality of life in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis – child's and parent's point of view. Reumatologia 2016; 54(5):243–250.

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